The Importance of Context and Transition in Evaluating Sociobehavioral Development in Young Children

• In Event: Assessment Studies Focused on Pre-Kindergarten and Early Childhood Design, Development, and Stakeholder Perceptions

Abstract

This study develops contextually-specific measures of childhood social and behavioral adjustment using the Adjustment Scales for Early Transition in Schooling (ASETS). Through analyses of data from the Head Start Impact Study, a representative nationwide sample of randomly selected children from low-income families informs developmental-transitional stability and change in adjustment across numerous contexts. Longitudinal factor analyses yielded reliable and temporally continuous behavioral dimensions assessing Peer, Learning, and Teacher Context Problems. Each context dimension was equated vertically through item response theory across four years spanning prekindergarten through 1st grade. Multilevel modeling provided support for the concurrent validity of ASETS contextual scales and their ability to both assess future risk of academic/behavioral problems and reveal differential, contextually-based, change trajectories across early school transitions.

Authors

• Paul A. McDermott, University of Pennsylvania

• Marley Watkins, Baylor University

• Samuel Rikoon, Educational Testing Service

• Michael Rovine, The Pennsylvania State University